The Sinn Féin leader has said she does not underestimate how much of a challenge to would be to agree a programme for government with Fine Gael or Fine Fail.
Speaking on Today FM’s Last Word with Matt Cooper, Ms McDonald said her party’s supporters were "deeply suspicious" of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil but that Sinn Féin have allies for many of their ideas and approaches among others who would be elected to the Dáil.
Ms McDonald also said the party’s performance in the Presidential, and Local and European election was the "wake up call" the party needed.
She said they went and listened to the communities they represent and found there was confusion about what Sinn Féin would deliver in a time of economic recovery.
She said the part has now "recast" its message and that it is a party of social justice and working people.
Ms McDonald also said she accepted that workers would need to be found to build the 100,000 council homes pledged in their manifesto.
She also rejected Micheál Martin's assertion that Sinn Féin has alienated unionists and was therefore not the right party to pursue a United Ireland.
McDonald rejects criticism of manifesto spending plans
Earlier the Sinn Féin leader rejected criticism of the spending plans outlined in the party's manifesto.
Mary Lou McDonald said the manifesto is ambitious and without that ambition her party's wont get to grips with the big issues being raised on the doorsteps.
She described the document as forward looking and progressive.
Responding to Micheal Martin's statement that the Sinn Féin manifesto is a con job, dangerous and would damage jobs, Ms McDonald said:
"The con artists are Fianna Fáil, the ones that crashed the economy on several occasions is Fianna Fáil.
"What's dangerous is people lying on hospital trolling, what's dangerous is an entire generation being unable to afford their own home, children being raised in bed and breakfasts. What's dangerous is family after family just struggling to get by and what's really dangerous is the prospect of Fianna Fáil again bringing their agenda to government."
Ms McDonald said the Fianna Fáil leader was on the sides of banks and developers and was not willing to put his money where his mouth is.
She also said the same economist who were criticising her plans warned of a soft landing before the crash and were quiet when Fianna Fáil was "about wreck havoc on economy".
She said she was not worried their commentary would damage Sinn Féin's campaign and that the party can deliver its plan and run a surplus.
Ms McDonald said the individual measures were costed by government departments and then the package was submitted to the Department of Finance.
She said the department then "ran the top line figures" and she said they told them the plan was deliverable with "a very large healthy budgetary surplus".
But she said what the department does not do is work of dynamically the interplay of measures.
Ms McDonald was speaking in Mullingar, Co Westmeath at a former barracks where she is holding a private meeting with retired members of the defence force and their families about pay and conditions.
She said Sinn Féin in government would set up a commission to review pay and conditions in the defence forces, roll out the working time act for members and allow them the rights to organise.
